Billy Joel Greatest Hits Vol 1
Billy Joel was a revelation. I had heard his Uptown Girl in the Grammy collection and was impressed but nothing prepared me for this when I bought his Greatest Hits Double album. Can't remember where I bought this (suspect it must have been Sangeet Sagar but cannot say for sure) but it is one of the best investments I ever made.
I realised that Billy Joel was not just a versatile singer but he was a poet. His lyrics in songs like 'She's always a woman' or 'Just the way you are' to me was nothing short of poetry. I suddenly saw how versatile he was in the kind of songs he composed and sang - 'Piano Man' was melodious, 'New York State of Mind' was eclectic, 'The Stranger' was another sound. The entire album had this energy that one cannot miss.
'Piano Man's best recollection is that of Ram singing it and he sang this song very soulfully. 'Honesty' was a song that I realised Bijju liked to listen to. My favourites in the album which I shared with so many more are 'Just the way you are' and 'She's always a woman'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx3QmqV2pHg (She's always a woman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaA3YZ6QdJU (Just the way you are)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxEPV4kolz0 (Piano Man)
I somehow believe that Billy Joel bought a rare intelligence and sensitivity to music and also made me think of life, art differently. The music was great and so was the thought behind it. If I created art, I'd like it to be like that. Those were the days when I was playing cricket and life was heady because I was doing well, being recognised and did not know why. Nor did I know how to take the success story forward or if I really wanted to. (Deep inside I craved the life of a middle-class Hrishikesh Mukherjee hero, somewhere in the background, reading a bit, writing a bit, listening to music, laughing, talking about life and bumbling through. Looking back I do think I achieved what I wanted!) And when I heard someone like Billy Joel who made such serious music - I somehow felt that perhaps I could do that too, just do what I could, like write or whatever.
For making me feel that way when I was a twenty-year-old, thanks Billy Joel.
Dedicated undoubtedly to Ram, my brother, who sang one of the best renditions of 'Piano Man'.
I realised that Billy Joel was not just a versatile singer but he was a poet. His lyrics in songs like 'She's always a woman' or 'Just the way you are' to me was nothing short of poetry. I suddenly saw how versatile he was in the kind of songs he composed and sang - 'Piano Man' was melodious, 'New York State of Mind' was eclectic, 'The Stranger' was another sound. The entire album had this energy that one cannot miss.
'Piano Man's best recollection is that of Ram singing it and he sang this song very soulfully. 'Honesty' was a song that I realised Bijju liked to listen to. My favourites in the album which I shared with so many more are 'Just the way you are' and 'She's always a woman'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx3QmqV2pHg (She's always a woman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaA3YZ6QdJU (Just the way you are)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxEPV4kolz0 (Piano Man)
I somehow believe that Billy Joel bought a rare intelligence and sensitivity to music and also made me think of life, art differently. The music was great and so was the thought behind it. If I created art, I'd like it to be like that. Those were the days when I was playing cricket and life was heady because I was doing well, being recognised and did not know why. Nor did I know how to take the success story forward or if I really wanted to. (Deep inside I craved the life of a middle-class Hrishikesh Mukherjee hero, somewhere in the background, reading a bit, writing a bit, listening to music, laughing, talking about life and bumbling through. Looking back I do think I achieved what I wanted!) And when I heard someone like Billy Joel who made such serious music - I somehow felt that perhaps I could do that too, just do what I could, like write or whatever.
For making me feel that way when I was a twenty-year-old, thanks Billy Joel.
Dedicated undoubtedly to Ram, my brother, who sang one of the best renditions of 'Piano Man'.
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